Surname Gillaspie - Meaning and Origin
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Gillaspie: What does the surname Gillaspie mean?
The surname Gillaspie is believed to be of Scottish descent and is a habitational name, derived from the Old English word “gill”, meaning a stream or small river, and the Old French word “espie”, meaning spy or lookout. The combination of the two words was used to describe a place with a lookout on the edge of a river.
The surname is a famously common one, appearing in many variations - Gellaspie, Gillaspy, Galespie, Gullaspy and Gullaspie being just a few examples. It is most commonly found in the United States and Canada, but is also scattered in other countries including England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England, Denmark and even the Netherlands.
This surname has been and remains quite popular due to its many varied spellings and its relatively straightforward origin and meaning. For many, the last name ‘Gillaspie’ has been passed down from generations of ancestors, continuously giving life to the family’s history and lineage. Indeed, it is likely that people bearing the name can trace their family’s journey from Scotland’s humble beginnings to its current wide dispersion around the world.
Order DNA origin analysisGillaspie: Where does the name Gillaspie come from?
The last name Gillaspie is most commonly found today in the United States and Canada. Gillaspie is an English patronymic name, derived from the first name of the father or ancestor of the original bearer. It originated as a geographically localized surname, meaning that the original bearer was from a specific area such as a village or estate. In the United States, the name is most prevalent in Texas and Pennsylvania. In Canada, it is most common in Ontario and British Columbia.
The surname is also fairly common in the United Kingdom, especially in Northern and Central England. It is particularly associated with the counties of Lancashire, Cheshire and Yorkshire. In Ireland, the last name is found most commonly in the provinces of Leinster, Connacht and Munster.
The Gillaspie family is believed to have arrived in North America from England in the early 1600s. The first recorded Gillaspie in America was Randall Gillaspie, who arrived in Barbados in 1636. The family then spread across the newly established colonies in what is now the United States. It is likely that they were mercantile, and supplied goods (and possibly people) to the new colonies. Today, the name is often associated with family businesses or small farm holdings. Many of those with the last name Gillaspie can trace their ancestry back to the early colonies.
Variations of the surname Gillaspie
The surname Gillaspie is of Anglo-Saxon origin and has many variants, spellings, and associated surnames. It can be spelt as Gillaspie, Gillaspey, Gillispie, Gillispy, Gellespie, Gellaspie, and Gellaspey. Variations in spelling occurred due to a lack of consistency regarding guidelines for spelling before the 20th century.
Other surnames derived from Gillaspie include Gilispy, Gillispie, Gillospee, Gillospie, Gilospee, Gilospie, and Giollaspi. These surnames can also be found spelled differently, such as Gillaispie, Gilaspie, Gillaspi, Gilaspi, and Giollaspie.
There are also some regional spellings of Gillaspie, such as Gilspi in Scotland, Gillspy in Ireland, Gillesse in France, and Gilspy in England. Some of the associated surnames based on geography are Gillaspee in Scotland, Gilaspie in Ireland, Gellaspee in England, Gillaspy in Wales, Gespi in France, and Gielspie or Gellespie in Germany.
Some foreign language translations of the surname Gillaspie include the Italian GIlespi, the Spanish Gillepsi, the Swedish Gillespee, and the Polish Gellspie.
The wide range of variants, spellings, and associated surnames of Gillaspie demonstrate that the surname was most likely derived from a single ancestral source. All of these spellings are variations of the same name, created due to the nature of the oral and written language.
Famous people with the name Gillaspie
- Conor Gillaspie: American professional baseball third baseman
- Casey Gillaspie: American professional baseball first baseman
- Bill Gillaspie: American professional baseball infielder
- Ray Gillaspie: American Major League Baseball pitcher
- Donnie Gillaspie: American Major League Baseball pitcher
- Rich Gillaspie: American Major League Baseball outfielder
- Corey Gillaspie: American professional basketball player
- Sean Gillaspie: American professional golfer
- Brian Gillaspie: American professional basketball player
- Jim Gillaspie: American professional baseball coach
- Jeff Gillaspie: American professional baseball coach
- Mark Gillaspie: American professional soccer player
- Andrew Gillaspie: American professional baseball player
- John Gillaspie: American professional baseball player
- Steve Gillaspie: American professional baseball player
- Chuck Gillaspie: American professional baseball coach
- Thomas Gillaspie: American professional tennis player
- Andrew Gillaspie Jr.: American professional baseball coach
- Pamela Gillaspie: American gospel jazz artist